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W. L. BUTTERPIELD.

I LEAD AND GRAYON HOLDER. No. 291,839. Patented Jam 8, 1884.

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UNITE STATES ATENT FFICE.

\VILLIAM L. BUTTERFIELD, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO HENRY BEROLZHEIMER, OF NET" YORK, N. Y.

LEAD AND CRAYON HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 291,839, dated January 8, 1884.

Application filed October 1, 1883. (S0 model.)

To to whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM L. BUTTER- FIELD, of Providence, in the county of Provideuce and State of Rhode Island, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Lead and Crayon Holders, of which the following is a specification.

My improvement in lead and crayon holders has reference to the means by which the pencil-lead or crayon is held and it may be stated to consist in the employment for this purpose, in connection with the lead-grasping jaws, of a clamping-sleeve movable thereon, a spring which acts to hold the sleeve in a position where it will not clamp the jaws upon the lead, (thus leaving the latter free,) and a detent whereby the sleeve can be held in clamping position on said jaws against the stress of its controlling-spring.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view of the complete holder. Fig. 2 is a view, partly in section, of the lead-containing tube and the lead-clamping devices. Fig. 3 is a view of the said tube with the clampingsleeve in section, so as to show more clearly the spring and detent. Fig. 4: is a view of the said tube with the clamping-sleeve in section in the position it occupies when clamping the jaws upon the lead.

In Figs. 2 and 3 the parts are in the posi tion which they occupy when the lead-grasping jaws are open.

A is the outer case or sheath of the holder. It incases the lead-containing tube B, and is made fast to the enlarged portion 13 of said tube; and it may, if desired, contain a pen in the end opposite that from which thelead protrudes.

B is the usual lead-containing tube, having its front end split to form jaws c, which normally stand open or in position to leave the leadx free. The instrumentality I use to close the jaws is a clamping sleeve or nozzle, D. This sleeve, at its rear, fits upon the enlargement B, and within the end of the sheath A, and at its front is provided with a contracted opening, so that it may, when requisite, compress the jaws, which, for the purpose, are formed, as shown, with beveled front ends. The sleeve is movable lengthwise, and is, by aspring, E, pushed forward far enough to be removed from clamping contact with the jaws, as seen in Figs. 2 and 3. The spring E is a spiral spring. It encircles the jaws or leadtube, and takes its bearing at one end against 5 5 a shoulder on the inside of sleeve D, and at the other end against a shoulder on the leadtube. Then the sleeve is drawn back against the stress of its controlling-spring, it compresses the latter and closes the jaws upon the lead. As soon as it is released the spring, by its recoil, at once throws it forward, and thus removes it from the jaws, which latter consequently are free to open and release the lead.

In order to lock or permanently hold the sleeve in clamping position on the jaws against the stress of its spring, I employ a detent, which may obviously be constructed in various ways, and which, in the present instance, resembles a bayonet-fix, consisting of aslot or groove, f, in the enlargement B, and a pin,

9, (shown in Fig. 2 as partly removed,) which projects through from the sleeve into the slot This slot, fora suitable distance, extends lengthwise of the tube, and then at the rear 7 terminates in a cross-notch of proper length, which is at about right angles to the longitudinal portion, or preferably set at a slight incline, as indicated, so that the operation of turning the pin into this cross-notch will have the effect of tightening the pressure of the sleeve on the jaws. The sleeve,withthis form of detent,'is made capable not only of longitudinal but of rotary movement. WVhen the parts are in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 8 5 3, the jaws are open and theleadis unconfined.

To close the jaws, the clamping-sleeveis drawn back against the stress of its controlling-spring, its pin 9 traveling in the slot until the rear or cross notch is reached. Then, by rotating or 0 turning the sleeve, the pin is caused to enter the cross-notch, and the sleeve is thus tightly locked in its clamping position against the stress of its spring E, as indicated in Fig. 4.

To release the lead, all that is needed is to 5 turn the sleeve far enough to bring the pin g out of the cross-notch. Spring E then asserts itself, and at once returns the sleeve to the position represented in Figs. 2 and 3.

Having described myimprovement and the ing position on said jaws against the stress of IO its controlling-spring, substantially as herein manner in which the same is or may be can ried into effect, what I olain1,and desire-t0 secure by Letters Patent, is before set forth.

The combination, in a lead and erayonholcl- I In witness whereof I have hereunto set my er, with the lead-grasping jaws, of a movable hand.

clamping-sleeve, a spring which normally \VILLIAM L. BUTTERFIELD. holds the sleeve in a position where it will not \Vitnesses: clamp the jaws upon the lead, and a detent M. F. BLIGI-I,

by which the sleeve can be looked in clamp- 1 .Tosnrrr A. MILLER, Jr. 

